that the whole of the tide should be deflected on to the south shore, at the least possible angle with it. The diminution of this deflection by the wearing away of the shoal, as described, is clearly the proximate cause of the present inconvenience, and I think that the gradual restoration of it is the only means by which any return to a better condition will be effected, or by which any available channel can be permanently maintained.

I conceive that in the condition in which the spit is shown by Mr. Thomson's chart, a work of very moderate extent and cost would have secured its permanence, and have effected a considerable improvement to the Harbour; it is a much more arduous task now to replace a shoal which has been removed, and to obstruct a channel which has been formed, but I still think that both may be gradually done by aiding the tendency of the sand to deposit at that point.

The only way in which it can be prudently attempted is, in my opinion, by a training wall starting from the shore as an abutment, and carried along nearly in the direction of the margin of the shoal which remains, so as to be almost parallel with the present course of the ebb tide. I believe the effect of this would be to produce still water behind it, in which sand would rapidly be deposited. As such an effect resulted, the work could be gradually carried forward, never pushing it far beyond where it was effectively backed up by the sand, and so ultimately the "Blind Channel" might, I conceive, be obliterated, and the northern shore be carried forward nearly as far as the southern. If this work succeeded in only a moderate degree the whole of the ebb and flood waters would be confined to one channel of moderate breadth, and I have no doubt that it would in that case be of such a depth as would admit ships of any size required by the commerce.

But I wish to be quite understood that such a work must necessarily be tentative only. That success cannot be with certainty counted upon, and that, under the most favourable circumstances, the benefit would be very slow and gradual. I am, therefore, unwilling to urge it strongly, or to raise any sanguine expectations. Still, since if successful, the advantages would be very decisive — as the first steps would not involve a very large cost, and as the probable

This action has now gone so far that it is no longer a conflict between opposing contrary currents, for that, of the ebb more than the flood, has gained the mastery. It is clearly by far the greater part of the ebb as well as the flood now passes by the South Channel, and the greatest hope of a speedy improvement of the Harbour is based on the expectation that the impact of the ebb against the lower part of the dividing spit may wear through it at that point.

If this were to happen, I have no doubt that a very great and rapid improvement of the Harbour would be the immediate result; the channel would then be nearly straight, and would meet the prevalent winds and sea at a very oblique angle, which would be so favourable to the passage of the tides in that direction, that I conceive that the passage of the tide over the bar would cease or nearly so, and then it would immediately shoal up; the dividing spit would constantly work over towards the shore until the inner channel became obliterated, and the mouth of the Harbour would ultimately return to what I conceive to have been its former and normal condition, of a single wide and deep channel, flowing past the South Head, with a great continuous sand spit extending from the north shore. It is, of course, impossible to predict the time which these changes may take to come about, but I have a strong conviction that the action going on tends in that direction.

I have given the most anxious consideration to the question, whether any improvement can be effected by artificial means? The conclusion I come to is, that it is impossible to effect any immediate advantage, and that the attempt might be disastrous. To effect any sudden change, a decided obstruction must be opposed to the current; but the instability of the foundation is such that the eddies which would be immediately produced by such obstacles would scoop out deep holes around the ends of them, and might have the very opposite effect of deepening the channel attempted to be closed, or of opening new ones in the most undesirable positions.

I am convinced that the only remedial measures which can safely be adopted are such as will gently assist the natural tendencies, and not oppose them. Now, it is clear to me that the condition essential for the well-being of the Harbour is,